Agenda item

(45 minutes)

There will be a presentation at the meeting on “Introduction to the Resources remit”

The aim is to help PDS Resources members get an overview of the scope of activity with the remit of the panel. This may help the panel shape its workplan so that it is able to focus its activity to add value.

The presentation will be given at the meeting that provides Resources PDS Panel Members with:

·  A summary of the functions and contacts within Resources;

·  Some key facts about these functions; 

·  Recent achievements;

·  and a look at what’s on the agenda for 2015/16.

The Chair invited Andrew Pate (Strategic Director for Resources) and his Divisional Directors to give their presentations as part of the “Introduction to the Resources remit”.

The aim of those presentations was to help PDS Resources Members to get an overview of the scope of activity with the remit of the Panel. This may also help the Panel to shape its workplan.

The Chair informed the Panel that she would welcome questions from Panel Members after the last slide in the presentation.

Andrew Pate started the presentation by advising the Panel on services that were sitting in his directorate, Divisional Directors who were reporting to him, teams in each service and Cabinet Members whose portfolio would include teams and services from Resources directorate.  He also took the Panel through the staffing and budget for each service within Resources directorate.

Derek Quilter (Divisional Director Property and Project Delivery) gave a quick summary of his service: management of approx. 1,200 property assets, commercial estate generating £15M income, project delivery managing capital projects to cost and programme, plus provision  of school meals, cleaning and print services via Traded Services; interesting facts about the service; and, current significant projects.

David Trethewey (Divisional Director for Strategy and Performance) gave a quick summary of his service: work with local communities, communication and consultation, partnership working, sustainability and climate change tackling, corporate policies and frameworks implementation and scrutiny of services; people and teams in the service; recent achievements by the Strategy and Performance; Interesting facts; and, priorities and challenges.

Ian Savigar (Divisional Director for Customer Services) explained what Customer Services do, service teams structures and their remits, strategic roles of the service the one stop shops, libraries, Council Connect, CCTV, emergency planning, registrars, council tax and business rates collection, benefits and welfare reform, service reviews and customer standards;, plus interesting facts, achievements and challenges.

Tony Bartlett (Head of Business Finance & Pensions), who was at the meeting on behalf of Tim Richens (Divisional Director for Business Support), gave a quick summary of the service by highlighting service teams structures and their remits including: corporate finance and accountancy, transactional financial services, procurement, assurance and Audit West partnership, information management and FOI’s, ICT service and projects , Section 151 Officer responsibilities, , facts about Avon Pension Fund, map of the West of England region showing how this relates to City deal and business rates retention, interesting facts, recent achievements, where the Council spends money and gets money (£321.1m) from and challenges ahead.

A full copy of the presentation ‘Resources remit for the PDS’ is attached to these minutes – the services in scope for the panel are denoted on the opening slide, as are the relevant portfolio holders.

Councillor Dine Romero asked if the £38m of identified savings would be coming out of the £100m of what was left from the current spend.  Tony Bartlett responded that £38m of saving would have to be found from ongoing money.  The £100m was simply a cash balance not an underspend and so affected temporary investments rather than ongoing budgets.

Councillor Chris Pearce asked if it was true that sixty percent of the commercial and retail property has been owned by the Council.

Derek Quilter replied that the Council owns sixty percent of retail units at the core centre of Bath, with full or part interest.

It was RESOLVED to note presentation.